Sheet-feeding machine



R. E. KEMPER.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

m n I!!! WI; i il f my, ATTORNEYS R. E. KEMPER.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. I920.

Patentd Aug". 16,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. E. KEMPER.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED gov. 1a. 1920. 1,387,494, PatentedAug.16,1921.

5 $HEETSSHEET 3.

I ulk I IL'JVENTOR A TTORNEYS R. E. KEMPER.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1a, 1920.

Patented Aug. 16,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

\H w a w 'R. E. KEMPER. SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, I920.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

5 $HEETS-SHEET 5.

,UNITED sr ROBERT E. KEMPER, RENSSELAm NEW YORK.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 'Patented Aug; 16, 1921.

Application filed. November 18, 1920. Serial Ito. 424,851.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. KEMPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rensselaer, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Feeding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel' features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which represent one embodiment of the invention selected by me for the purpose of illustrating the same, and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for automatically feeding in rapid succession, sheets of paper or other like articles to a printing press, or folding machine, or for any other purpose. In carrying out my invention, I provide means for supporting a plurality of sheets superimposed one upon another, preferably in a vertically disposed pile, although the sheets need not necessarily be fed from a pile, but may be delivered in small quantities upon the feeding table, in any desired way.

Where the sheets are fed from a pile, as

' in the present instance, suitable mechanism will be employed as shown, to feed the support or table upwardly as the sheets are removed therefrom. At one end of the supporting means or table I provide what I term delivering means, and mechanism is provided for combing or fanning out the sheets so as to feed the topmost sheet into position to be gripped or seized by the: sheet delivery mechanism, and delivered from the machine to a printing press, folding device, or other apparatus, for example. In orderto secure the accurate separation of the sheets, and also to revent more than one sheet being Withdrawn by the sheet delivery mechanism, I provide a controlling device for positively stopping the fanning or combing of the topmost sheet when in proper relation to be engaged by the sheet delivery mechanism, and my improved controlling device operates in conjunction with the rear marginal portion of the topmost sheet, so that. it is brought into operation when the rear edge of the topmost sheet arrives at a predetermined position. In the specific embodiment of my invention herein shown and described, the combing mecha nism is normally held out of operative relation with the sheets by 'a spring or its equivalent, and at the .proper moment in the cycle of the apparatus, after the delivery of a sheet, the combing mechanism is depressed into operative engagement with the topmost sheet and the comber elevating mechanism is locked so as to allow the comber to remain in operative engagement with the topmost sheet. A presser foot rests upon the topmost sheet and is provided with a suction aperture adjacent thereto, and normally out of contact with the sheet, and so located that as the presser foot passes off of the rear edge of the topmost sheet, marginal portions of the sheet adjacent to said edge will be. drawn against the suction aperture, by the suctiontherethrough, so as to close said aperture. The suction line connecting said suction aperture with the air exhausting device is provided with a branch line leading to a pneumatic releasing device for the locking mechanism controlling the combing mechanism, the parts being so arranged that the releasing device will not be actuated as long-as the suction aperture of the presser foot is open, but the instant it is closed by the marginal portion of the top sheet, the suction will actuate the pneumatic releasing device, and withdraw the locking mechanism, and permit the combing mechanism to be elevated out of operative Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the presser foot and mechanism for supporting and actuatin -the same.

ig. 6 is a partial rear elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view illustrating theconstruction and arrangement of the presser feet,two of which are shown arranged transversely of the machine, and connected for joint operation.

In the machine shown in the accompanying drawings, 11-repres ent the side framesof the machine. 2 represents the supporting means or table for supporting the sheets to be vfed, in this instance a pile of sheets, indicated at 3, being shown. The table is supported by vertically movable rack bars 4,

engaged by pinions 5 on a shaft 6 mounted invention, it is not specifically claimed herein, and any other suitable form of feeding mechanism for feeding the table in case the sheets are fed from a pile may be employed, or the sheets may be placed upon or delivered upon the table in any other desired way.

The rock shaft 11 carries the comber 12 for fanning or combing out the upper sheet of the pile, and this comber consists in this instance of a rotary disk provided with a circular series of idle rollers, indicated at 13,-the peripheries of which are adapted to engage the topmost sheet. The comber is supported on a shaft 14 carried at the outer end of'a frame 15 adjustably secured to the rock shaft 11, as by set screws 11. Rotary motion is imparted to the comber in any suitable manner, for 'example as herein shown, by means of a sprocket chain 16 passing around the sprocket wheel 17 on the comber shaft, and around the driving sprocket 18 on the driving shaft 20, which is provided with any suitable means, as the driving wheel or pulley 19, for operating it from a motor, line shaft, or other suitable source of power. The comber is provided with means for normally holding it out of contact with the paper and for depressing it intooperative relation therewith. In this instance a depressing arm 23 is pivoted at its rear end to a cross shaft or support 24, and is provided at its upper end with a link 25 having a slottedportion 25 engaging a pin 23 in the upper end of the deressing arm, the lower end ofthe link 25 eing connected to the frame 15 carrying the comber.- The depressing. arm 23 is provided with a friction roller 22 engaging a cam 21on the shaft 201 A lifting spring, indicated at 100, is connected to the depressing arm 23 and to a fixed bracket 101 connected with the main frame and serves to normally elevate the combing mechanism out of operative contact with the paper, The, comber. is depressed into operative contact with the paper positively by the cam 21, the slot 25* permitting the comber to rest, by gravity, upon the paper, and accommodate variations in the level of the paper. As soon as the comber is depressed into engagement with the paper, the depressing arm is locked by a pawl-26 on a shaft 27, which engages a projection 28 carried by p the depressing arm 23, so as to lock the parts and hold the comber in operative relation with the paper until the pawl or locking mechanism is released. The shaft 27, which carries the pawl 26, is in this instance provided at one side of the machine (see Fig. 2) with a depending arm 95 provided with a retracting spring 98, which holds the locking pawl in operative position. I have shown, in Fig. 2, a pneumatic releasing device for releasing ,the locking mechanism, which consists in this instance of a cylinder 102 provided with a piston 103, connected with a stem 104, for actuating the arm 95 in a'direction against the spring 98, to release the lock-ingpawl 26 and permit the comber to be elevated by its lifting spring 100. The cylinder 102 is connected td a suction pipe 105, which in this instance is a branchpipe leading to a main suction pipe 106 connected with a suction device 107 operated by a motor 108, or otherwise, for creating a suction in the pipe 106. The piston 103 of the pneumatic device may also be provided with a spring, indicated at 109, although this is not necessary, as the desirable that the machine shall feed sheets of different lengthand width, it is necessary that the presser foot shall be adjustable longitudinally of'the machinewith respect to the sheet delivery apparatus hereinafter referred to. In the embodiment of my invention herein shown the side frames of the machine are provided adjacent to their rear ends each with abracket 30 carrying a horizontally disposed guide rod 31, and upon these guide rods is supported a transverse rock-shaft 32 mounted in guides 33, sliding upon guide rods 31. Upon the rock shaft 32 is mounted a block 34 carrying a horizontally disposed plate 35, which I term the. presser foot. This plate 35 is so connected with the block 34 as to have a slight play, and is held by a spring 36 so as to have a yielding engagement with the topmost sheet, the 'constructlon, however, being 1 such that by rocking the shaft 32 forwardly, the block 34 will exert a positive downward pressure on the presserfoot 35 which would be Ctransmitted to the paper, as hereinafter described.

Extending slightly forward of, and slightly above the lower edge of the presser foot, 1s a suction device 37 provided with a suction aperture 38 in its lower'face, the said suction device being in this instance carried by a tubular part 39 secured to the block 34 and connected to the air pipe 106 before mentioned, so that a constant current of air is drawn by suction into the aperture 38. For the purpose of slightly rocking the shaft 32, the said shaft is provided at one end, for example, with an arm 40, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to a sliding block41 mounted on a horizontal rod or link 42, to which it is adjustably connected by a screw 43, the said rod or .link being pivotally connected at 44 to an arm 45, carrying a friction roller 46 at its upper end, engaging a cam 47 on ashaft of the machine, in this instance, the driving shaft 20, the arm 45 being provided with a spring- 48 for holding the roller 46 in engagement with the cam 47.

The operation of this portion of my in-' vention is as follows. The machine is adjusted so that the presser foot 35 will pass off of the rear edge of a paper sheet at the exact instant that the sheet reaches the position in which it is to be engagedby the sheet delivering means and delivered from the machine' The presser foot can be adjusted longitudinally of the machine, by sliding the blocks 33 on the uide 31, and securing them in adjusted position, and the presser foot can also be adjusted transversely of the machine on the shaft 32 andlocked in the desired position by a set screw, for example, indicated at 49. In some instances two or more of these presser feet can be employed,

and in Fig. 7 I have illustrated two of these devices. It being understood that the presser foot lightly engages the topmost sheet under the pressure of the spring 86, and that the comber has been depressed and locked in operative position, the rotation of the comber, which is continuous, will feed the topand creates a partial vacuum in the cylinder 102, causing the piston 103 to move inwardly, and thus release the locking mechanism for thecomber, which is promptly elevated by the lifting spring 100, thus stopping the forward movement of the sheet. This construction enables me to positively position each topmost sheet with its forward edge in exactly the rightposition to be grasped by the sheet delivering mechanism, as the sheets are of uniform length, and I control the position of the sheets by the position of the rear edges of the same. And further, as soon as the presser foot slips off of the rear edge of the topmost sheet, thereby releasing the combing mechanism and stopping the advance of the sheet, the presser foot clamps the sheet or sheets below, and holds them firmly while the topmost sheet is delivered from the machine, so as to prevent them from being disarranged by friction with the topmost sheet during its withdrawal.

Any preferred form of sheet delivery mechanism may be employed, whether of the gripper or 'I'Oller type, which will take the sheets successively as they are fed to a predetermined position, and deliver them from the machine and into position to be printed, folded, or otherwise treated. In the present instance I have shown a sheet deliverymechanism of the roller type, which comprises a continuously operated feed roller 50 which acts in conjunction with a pair of rider wheels 51 carried by links 52 pivoted on a transverse shaft 53, which is secured ,to the upper ends of arms 54, mounted on a rock shaft 55. The rock shaft 55 is provided with an arm 56 which is pivotally connected to one end of a yoke bar, the other end of which is provided with a yoke or forked portion 58, having a guiding engagement with the main driving shaft 20, and provided with a friction roller 59, for engaging the cam 60 on the shaft 20, for moving the rock shaft 55 in one direction, a spring 61 being pro-vided connected at one end to the frame, and at the other end to the arm 56 for moving the rock shaft in the opposite direction. The cam 60 is so constructed as to hold the rider wheels 51 forward of their operative position with respect the operative position with respect to theroller 50 and the sheet to be fed and delivered, the rider wheels pressing upon the upper surface of the front edge of the sheet and clamping the sheet between them and the continuously operating feed roll, and rapidly delivering the sheet from the machine. As soon as the sheet begins to travel forward under the influence of the sheet delivery mechanism, the rear end of the sheet will be withdrawn from the suction aperture 38, thus allowing air to enter the suction pipe 106, and relieve the branch pipe 105 from suction, which permits the piston of the releasing device to be retracted and restores the locking mechanism to normal position, so that as soon as the comber is depressed into engagement with the topmost sheet of those rema ning upon the supporting means, the comber depressing arm will be locked in its downwardly position, and the operation of the machine will be repeated.

It will be understood that each time the shaft 11 is oscillated by the movement of the comber into and out of operative position, the arm 10 and pawl 9 will be operated to effect the movement of the ratchet wheel- 7 on the shaft 6 carrying the pinions 5 engaging the vertical rock bars 4 of the table or paper supporting means, thereby imparting an upward feeding movement to the table to compensate for the removal of sheets therefrom. I do not limit myself to this particular table adjusting mechanism, as any other suitable means can be employed where the sheets are to be fed from a pile, and as hereinbefore stated the table feeding mechanism is not an essential feature of my invention, as it is not necessary that the sheets be fed from a pile, as a plurality of sheets may be supplied to the table by hand in any other way in which case no feeding mechanism for the table would be required, as the slot 25 in the lifting link 25 connected with the depressing arm will enable the apparatus to accommodate itself to considerable variation in the position of the topmost sheet acted upon.

It will also be understood that the means for moving the rider rolls of the sheet delivery mechanism into operative relation act in timed relation with the means for de pressing the presser foot upon the lower sheets while the topmost sheet is being deliv'ered, and in this instance, they are both operated from the main driving shaft, although this is not essential.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, sheet delivery means for delivering the sheets singly, located adjacent to one end of the sheet support, a vertically movable comber, means or actuating the comber in a direction to feed the topmost sheet toward the sheet delivery means, and into position to beengaged by the sheet delivery meansfmeans for elevating the comber out of operative relation with the sheets on said support, controlling means. for said comber elevating means, having a part located adjacent to the opposite end of the sheet support from the sheet delivery means, and adapted to be brought into operation when the end of the sheet farthest from the sheet delivery means reaches a predetermined position under the actuation of the comber, the sheet delivery means moving the sheet in the same direction as the comber.

2. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles the combination with a support forw a plurality of sheets, sheet delivery means located adjacent to one end of said support, for delivering the sheets singly, a vertically movable comber, for engaging the topmost sheet, actuating means for said comber, for driving it in a direction to feed the engaged sheet toward the sheet delivery means, and into position to be engaged thereby, means for elevating the comber out of operative relation with the sheets, a sheet engaging part located adjacent to the opposite end of the said sheet support from the sheet delivery means, resting upon the sheets, adjacent to their-rear edges, and so located as to pass off of the rear edge of the topmost sheet, when the latter is in position to be engaged by the sheet delivery means, and controlling means for. the comber elevating means, including a part located slightly nearer to the sheet delivery means than said sheet engaging part, and adapted to be brought into operation when the rear edge of the topmost sheet passes from belike articles, the combination with a support for the sheets, sheet delivery means, and a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be engaged by the sheet delivery means, of means for moving the comber into and out of operative relation with the topmost sheet, a controlling mechanism for the comber having a sheet engaging part, for engaging the sheet to be fed adjacent to its rear edge, operative connections between the said part and the comber for insuring the movement of the comber to inoperative position, when and as the said sheet engaging part passes off of the rear edge of the topmost sheet, and means normally operative after the sheet engaging part has passed off .of the rear edge of the topmost sheet for into and out of operative relation with the topmost sheet, a controlling mechanism for the comber having a sheet engaging part, for engaging the sheet to be fed adjacent to its rear edge, operative connections between the said part and the comber for insuring port for the sheets, sheet delivery means,

and a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be engaged by said sheet delivery means, of means for moving the comber into and out of operative relation with the sheet to be fed, a pneumaticcontrolling device for insuring themovement of the comber to inoperative position, a sheet engaging part, for engaging the sheet to be fed adjacent to its rear edge, a part provided with a suction aperture located in advance of said sheet engaging part, and in position to be closed by marginalpor tions of the topmost sheet, a suction pipe connected with said pneumatic controllin like articles, the combination w1th a support device for operating the same, andbranc pipe connecting said suction pipe w1th said 7 suction aperture.

6. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, "the combination with a support for the sheets, sheet delivery means, and a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be'engaged by said sheet delivery means, of means for moving the comber into and out of operative relation with the sheet to be fed, a pneumatic controlling device forvinsuring the movement of the comber to inoperative position, a sheet engaging part, for engagin the sheet to be fed adjacent to its rear e ge, a part provided with a suction aperture located in. advance of said sheet engaging part, and in position to be closed by marginal portions of the topmost sheet, a suction pipe connected with said pneumatic controllmg operating the same, a branch plpe connecting said suction pipe with said suction aperture, and means for normally positively depressing said sheet en aging device upon the lower sheets when t e said sheet engaging part has passed on of the rear end of the topmost sheet.

7. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for the sheets, sheet delivery. means, and a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be engaged by said sheet delivery means, of yielding means normally tending to hold the comber out of contact with the sheets, means for depressing the comber into engagement'with the topmost sheet, locking means forholding the comber in operative position, releasing means for said locking means, and a sheet engaging device for v device, for engaging the topmost sheet adposition to be engaged by said sheet delive'ry means, of yielding means normally tending to hold the comber out of contact with the sheets, means for depressing the comber into engagement with the topmost sheet, locking means for holding the comber in operative position, releasing means for. said locking means, a sheet engaging device for engaging the topmost sheet adjacent to its rear edge, and so located. as to pass off qf the said edge when the sheet is in position to be engaged bythe sheet delivery means, and operative connections between said sheet engaging device and said releasing means.

9. In a machine for feedin sheets and means for said locking means, a sheet en gaging device for engaging the topmost sheet adj acent to its rear edge, and provided I with a part having a suction aperture, in advance of the sheet engaging part and in position to be closed by a marginal portion of the sheet, and a suction pipe connected with said pneumatic releasing means, and

said suction aperture.

10. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for'sheets, sheet delivery means, and a comber for moving the to most sheet into position .to be engaged by said sheet delivery means, of yielding means normally tending to hold the comber out of contact with the sheets, means for depressing the comberinto engagement with the topmost sheet, locking means for holding the comber in operative position,'pneumatic releasing means for said locking means, a movable presser foot,provided with a sheet engaging part for en-v gaging the topmost sheet adjacent to its rear edge, and so positioned that it will pass ofi of the rear edge of the sheet when the sheet is in posit-ion to be engaged by the sheet delivery means, said presser foot being ,provided with a part-in advance of its sheet engaging means, having a suction aperture adapted to be closed by a marginal portion of the sheet, suction means operatively connected to said pneumatic releasing means, and said suction aperture, and means for positively actuating said presser foot to clamp it upon the sheets below the topmost sheet.

11. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for sheets, sheet delivery means, and a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be engaged by said sheet delivery means, of yielding means normally tending to hold the comber out of contact with the sheets, means for depressing the comber into engagement with the topmost sheet, locking means for holdin the comber in operative position, pneumatlc releasing means for said locking means, a movable presser foot provided with a sheet engaging part for engaging the topmost sheet adjacent 'to 1ts rear edge, and so positioned that it will pass oil" ofthe rear edge of the sheet when the sheet is in position to be engaged by the-sheet "delivery means, said presser foot being provided with a part in advance of its sheet engaging means, having a suction aperture adapted to be closed by a marginal portion of the sheet, suction means operatively connected to said pneumatic releasin means and said suction aperture, means or positively actuating said presser foot to clamp it upon the sheets below the topmost sheet, means for adjusting the presser foot longitudinally of the machine to accommodate sheets of different length, and adjustable connections between the presser foot and the means for depressing the same to accommodate changes in the position of the presser foot. I

12. Ina machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for the sheets, sheet delivery means comprising a continuously operating feeding roll and superimposed rider rolls supported thereon, and normally held out of opera- .tive position, a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be engaged by said sheet delivery means, means for moving the comber into and out of operative relatlon with the sheet to be fed, a controlling mechanism for the comber having a part for engaging the sheet to be fed adjacent to its rear edge, connections between said part and the comber for insuring the movement of the comber to inoperative position when said part passes of]? of the rear edge of the topmost sheet, means for movin the rider rolls into operative p'osition,\to

de iver the topmost sheet, and means operating the timed relation therewith for depressin said sheet engaging part upon the lower s eets after it passes oil of the topmost sheet. I

13. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for the sheets, sheet delivery means, and a comber for moving the topmost sheet into position to be engaged by said sheet delivery means, yielding means normally tending to hold the comber out of operative position, a pivoted depressing arm operatively connected with the comber, a cam for actuating said depressing arm, a presser foot having a part for engaging the topmost sheet adjacent to its rear edge, and having a part. in advance of the sheet engaging part provided with a suction aperture, a locking device for holding the comber in operative position, a pneumatic releasing device for the locking device, and suction means connected with said pneumatic releasing device and said suction aperture.

14. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for the sheets, a sheet delivery device adjacent to one end of the support for acting upon the forward edges of the sheetsto deliver themsingly from the machine, means for advancing the sheets, movable into and out of operative relation with the topmost sheet on said support, and controlling mechanism for said sheet advancing means, including a sheet engaging device havin a part for engaging the topmost sheet a jacent to its rear edge, and operative connections extending to said sheet advancing means and normally brought into operation when said sheet engaging device passes oif of the rear edge of the topmost sheet.

15. In a machine for feeding sheets and like articles, the combination with a support for the sheets, sheet delivery mechanism adjacent to one end of said support for engaging the forward edges of the sheets, and delivering them singly, sheet advancing mechanism movable into and out of 0perative relation with the topmost sheet, controlling mechanism for said sheet advanc ing mechanism comprising a pneumatic device, and a presser foot having a sheet en- In testimony whereofl aflix my si nature.

\ ROBERT E. KE ER. 

